Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-05


steer-A f:rute in the Agony Of Death.
Victory for the yultures - vindictfve
Villagers.
The little village where was staying In
Chill lay at the very base of the Andes,
with about mile OF plain stretching away
to the ocean. At sunrise On the very
first morning / was in the place Was
awakened by great coinmotion among
the populace. Swinging from the palm
mattress on which / had been sleeping, /
looked out Of the low window Of my
apartment. Men, women and children
were running through the narrow streets
yelling wildly, and men on horseback
dashed away across the plain, in which di-
recti0n the excited mob Of villagers was
tending. roar as though hurricane
were passing came up from the plain,
and there was a tremor In the earth
that alarmed me. inquired what
the trouble was, and was told that it
was nothing bat the condors, which
had come down that morning in
large force from the mountains and were
even then engaged in selecting cattle
from the village herd. Looking across
the plain / discovered for the first time
that great cloud OF dust covered II for
wide area, from which came the roar
and the trenor that had alarmed me.
The cloud and the roar and the treInor
were made by the herd dashing furiOusly
about on the plain, fleeing in terror be-
fore the pursuit Of the cOndors. Quickly
saddling my horse, which was quartered
In the small inn yard ! dashed away
across the plain TO enjoy a close view Of
the disturbance and see what its outcome
would be- passing on my way jabbering
and shouting groups Of villagers hurry
ing on afoot toward the flying cloud of
dust, In which were hidden the common
property Of the place and its ravenous and
determined foe.
As | rode UP to within dozen rods of
the stampeded cattle, one Of the herd
burst suddenly from the dense volume OF
dust. Four immense condOrs followed it,
and swooping down upon ii, tore at its
flesh with their great claws and pune
tured and laeerated it with their strong
beaks. The animals eyes were blood
shot and were wild with terror. Its bel
lOwngs were terrible TO hear. 1t dashed
it, tail in agony against its torn and
bleeding sides, and rushed aimlessly in
all directions, whae the huge vultures
beat against II and slashed and ripped it
with beak and claws While | galloped
along and watched this sickening mutila-
ton Of this helpless steer the herd dashed
on. and every condor that was following
Il seemed 10 abandon it, and, whetted by
the scent Of the blood that flowed from the
wounded steer, joined in its mad pursuit.
Although the poor beast sped over the
ground like the fieetest racer the attack
ing birds kept close by its side, plying
thafr "a I.a b txI tn1p rha arI
free from the assaults OF the condors,
came 10 "a stop n mile or so away, and the
mounted herdsmen dashed back to the
scene | was watching. They carried
lassos and spurred their horses after the
steer, which was now closely followed by
the whole field Of vultures The process
sion Of following villagers had also ar
rived at the spot and, huddled about in
noisy groups, hurled many Spanish curses
at the bold flock Of condor that was
bntchering one Of their best animals be-
fore their very eyes.
Following the beleaguered steer, and
circling around it as it dashed here and
there in its win attempts to escape from
the torture to which its cruel pursuers
were subjectng it, the herdsmen cast
their larats again and again, and after
several attempts each lassoed n condor.
Once the poor steer, as II looking to us for
assistance in his extremity, rushed in
among the horsemen aud crowds of spec
tators. Regardless Of our presence the
desperate condors chung to his bleeding
sides or dashed along in his wake The
doomed animal was black with dust and
streaming with blood from n hundred
wounds. The excited crowd scattered be-
fore the advance OF the steer, and the
lassoers, having strangled to death the
condors they had captured, advanced
again to cast their lariats.
The steer circled around in stumbling
and unsteady way. He carried his head
high, and once staggered and fell With
great effort he regained his feet and once
more moved toward the crowd of specta-
tors. Bloody foam dropped in great masses
from his mouth His loud cries Of agony
had changed to husky means. His tongue,
red and swollen, hung Mt full length from
his mouth. As he passed me huge con-
dor dashed forward, seized the steers
tongue in its bcak and wrenched it out by
the roots The steer threw his head up
with heartrending cry, and then | saw
two hideous, sightless cavities, dripping
blood, where his eyes had been plucked
from their sockets.
The spot where the steer had been
separated by the condors from the herd
was not more than an eighth of mile
from the sea shore, and the animal had
been dashing madly about on the plain.
circling and zigzagging here and there
without drawing any nearer to the water.
Suddenly. tongueless and sightless, and
lettering and rapidly weakening under
his myriad wounds, he wheeled, turned
his head toward the ocean and, gathering
himself as il for last desperate effort,
dashed madly away in that direction
Plunging and Keeling onward and still
pursued by every ravenous vulture, the
dying steer rushed straight for tho surf
He reached the margin of the sea and
fell dead with his head in the waves.
Instantly score OF beaks were tear
ing the dead animals flesh from his
bones | spurred my horse forward
and galloped to the spot where the vul-
lures were stripping the carcass. When
/ reached the beach the great birds rose
lazily one after another, from the feast
and doated upward in oblique circles
until they were mere specks against the
snowy submits of the Andes. A skeleton,
half submerged by the tide, marked
where the tortured steer had fallen.
When returned across the plain vindic-
tiye villagers were kicking the three
lassoed condors about and stamping them
into the ground. kissing curses between
their teeth at every kick. In the distance
the lately disturbed herd was grazing
quietly. as il no condor had ever threat
ened the peace of its domain Ed, Mott
in New York Mail and Express.